‘Not confident’ of peaceful transfer if Kamala wins in November, says Biden

US President Joe Biden said in an interview with CBS that he is “not confident at all” there will be a peaceful transfer of power to Kamala Harris if Donald Trump loses November´s election. “If Trump loses, I’m not confident at all,” Biden said in an interview with CBS News when asked whether he thought there would be a peaceful transfer of power after the vote. “He means what he says. We don’t take him seriously. He means it. All this stuff about if we lose there’d be a bloodbath,” Biden added.…

US has communicated need to not escalate conflict to Iran and Israel: Blinken

The United States (US) has communicated to Iran and Israel that conflict in the Middle East must not escalate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, even as the Pentagon warned that it would not tolerate attacks against its forces in the region. The Middle East is bracing for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week’s killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah. Five US troops and two contractors were injured in an attack on a base in Iraq on Monday,…

Harris interviews three potential VP candidates at her home

Vice President Kamala Harris will interview three top candidates – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro – at her Washington, DC, residence on Sunday ahead of a final decision on her running mate. Harris is expected to announce her choice as early as Monday, ahead of her first public appearance with the vice presidential nominee on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Reuters was first to report. The Harris campaign is also planning a social media announcement featuring the duo, officials familiar with the…

More than 30 killed in Somalia beach attack

An Al-Shabaab suicide bomber and gunmen attacked a busy beach in the Somali capital Mogadishu, killing 32 people and wounding scores more, in one of the deadliest attacks in months, police said on Saturday. The Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been waging an insurgency against the internationally backed federal government for more than 17 years and have previously targeted the Lido beach area, popular with business people and officials. Unverified videos shared online in the immediate aftermath of the attack showed people scattering along a street, with a number of clips purporting…

Russia frees US journalist Gershkovich in major prisoner exchange

US journalist Evan Gershkovich and a Russian intelligence colonel jailed for a Berlin murder were among two dozen prisoners freed Thursday in the biggest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War. The intricate multinational deal that freed the Wall Street Journal reporter and others including former US marine Paul Whelan involved months of secret negotiations, and finally ended with a dramatic exchange on the airport tarmac in Turkey’s capital Ankara. Overjoyed family members appeared at the White House alongside US President Joe Biden, who said they’d been able to phone…

US election: Trump hesitates on debating Harris as she gains ground

Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a packed Atlanta arena on Tuesday, and teased her competitor Donald Trump for not deciding yet if he’ll join their upcoming debate. “The momentum in this race is shifting,” the Democratic nominee said. “And there are signs Donald Trump is feeling it.” Earlier, the 45th president was eager to debate with Harris; however, he’s deciding on stepping back from his decision, Chicago Tribune reported. “Probably will debate her, but can also make a case for not doing it,” he said. Following Trump’s statement, the Democratic candidate said…

Biden proposes Supreme Court term limits, binding code of conduct

US President Joe Biden announced plans Monday for urgent reforms to the conservative-dominated Supreme Court, in a bold but long-shot move as he seeks to make a mark in his last six months in power. The 81-year-old Democrat is calling for a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court’s recent ruling backing Donald Trump’s claims of presidential immunity, according to the White House. The Democrat is also calling for term limits for Supreme Court justices, who currently serve for life, following shock rulings such as the repeal of the nationwide…

Harris campaign gains momentum with $200mn raised after Biden’s exit

Nearly a week after US President Joe Biden exited the 2024 presidential race and endorsed his deputy Kamala Harris as his successor, the Vice President’s campaign has raised USD 200 million, Al Jazeera reported. The campaign announced its latest fundraising total on Sunday, highlighting that 66 per cent of the donations came from first-time contributors in the 2024 election cycle. Additionally, over 170,000 volunteers have signed up to assist the Harris campaign with phone banking, canvassing, and other voter outreach efforts. “The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real —…

New Zealand to apologise after inquiry reveals widespread child abuse

WELLINGTON: Some 200,000 New Zealanders held in care were abused over decades, a public inquiry has revealed, prompting an apology from the country’s prime minister who vowed reform. The authors of the report described widespread abuse in state care and faith-based institutions as an “unthinkable national catastrophe” that caused “unimaginable harm”. Throughout the six-year investigation, dozens of victims gave harrowing testimony about physical, sexual and mental abuse suffered in orphanages, foster homes, psychiatric hospitals and other institutions. The “Abuse of Care” royal commission found that “of the estimated 655,000 children,…

Harris has support of enough Democratic delegates to win nomination

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday received the support from a majority of Democratic delegates, likely to be enough to win her party’s presidential nomination in the Democratic National Convention next month, as per multiple sources. President Joe Biden on Sunday announced his support for Harris, withdrawing from the race amid questions about his age and health. He, however, has pledged to remain in the office as president until January 20, 2025, when his term ends. A survey by the Associated Press revealed that 2,538 delegates supported Harris, far more than…